Double DRS to return at Monza

The Italian Grand Prix looks set to feature the return of two DRS zones, following a similar experiments in Montreal and Valencia earlier this season.

Despite doubts over the way the system was employed on its debut in Montreal, the FIA is planning to reintroduce a second 'DRS zone' for the forthcoming Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

According to speedtv.com, however, the overtaking aid will employ separate detection zones at the famous autodromo, following criticism that the Canadian set-up [see story here], which provided overtaking opportunities on the run to the final chicane as well as a second zone on the following section of track, allowed an extra advantage by giving drivers a chance to employ DRS to pull away from cars they had passed because both zones were controlled by the same detection point. The European Grand Prix in Valencia also used two DRS zones, but they were further apart than those in Canada. Despite speculation to the contrary, they also did little to improve overtaking on the Spanish street circuit.

At Monza, the report believes, there will be independent detection points for the two zones, which look likely to be situated on the main straight and on the long straight between Lesmo and Ascari.

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"I don't think it worked in Canada," FIA race director Charlie Whiting admitted after June's race in Montreal, "We weren't really expecting it to. It was more an experiment, as the second section was too short. One of the things that has emerged from it is that, if a driver passes in the first sector, he's then able to use the wing again in the second. We were aware of this, of course, but we've had a chat with the drivers about this and the general feeling is that we shouldn't allow the driver to use it for a second time if he has passed in the first sector.

"It isn't a trivial matter to get that to happen automatically, so we're still discussing it. We are going to try to use two sectors more but I think we do need to address this point.

"[The idea of] having two zones emerged in discussions after Australia, where the first straight wasn't quite long enough. Obviously, in Canada, the first activation zone was sufficient and the second one was really a bit of a bonus, [but] I don't think it worked out as intended. If we had two detection points, we would need two notification points and two activation points. It doubles the chance of something going wrong, and we have had a few problems because it all relies on loops and beacons beside the track. That's the only thing I'm a little wary of."

Monza has earned a reputation for being one of the easier F1 circuits to pass on, thanks mainly to its long straights, but the DRS zones will improve the chances of place changes still further. The decision to run two independently-controlled zones, however, could cause a little head-scratching when it comes to set-up, with teams expected to ponder the merits of running with more downforce and a top gear more suited to the demands of DRS.